Brazil Justice Ministry Opens National Anti‑Fraud Office in Rio de Janeiro

On Friday, March 3, Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security inaugurated the National Anti‑Fraud Office in Rio de Janeiro. The office is designed to deepen coordination between the federal government, the state of Rio de Janeiro and its municipalities to fight organized crime.

The launch is part of the Brazil Against Organized Crime programme, which already created similar units in São Paulo and Foz do Iguaçu. Rio and São Paulo also received regional seats of the Financial Activities Control Council (Coaf), which officials say is placed at the centre of the strategy to choke the financial flows that fund criminal groups.

According to Minister Wellington César Lima e Silva, Rio "synthesizes the challenges of Brazil's public security," and the new office will provide strategic intelligence, logistical support for state security forces and assistance to other states. It will also coordinate actions to map and block illicit economic activities, working with Anatel to monitor telecom operators linked to crime.

The initiative includes reinforcement of prison security: equipment donations and training for penitentiary staff in 138 prisons nationwide, with at least two regional operations and one national operation planned each month to isolate gang leaders held inside prisons.